Windmill.



B. WOODRUM.

WINDMILL.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 22, 1909.

Patented Aug. 1, 1911.

2 BHBETS8HEBT 2.

S I/I INVENTOR a// oaa ram Attorney w WITNESSES UNTTE %TTE% ATE FTQ.

EARL WOODRUM, OF GLENCOVE, WASHINGTON.

WINDMILL.

aaaaas.

Application filed September 22, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EARL VVooDRUM, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Glencove, in the county of Pierce and State ofWashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inWindmills, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to windmills and similar motors and has for itsobject to provide means whereby the wind, or other fluid pressure, willexert a rotatory action on both sides of the axis of the machine. Iattain this and other objects by the devices and mechanisms illustratedin the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is an elevation of myimproved windmill; Fig. 2 is a plan thereof; F ig. 3 is an elevation ofthe eccentric bearing; Fig. 4 is a section of the ball-and-socketbearing; Fig. 5 is a plan of the wing operating bevel gear; and Fig. 6is a longitudinal vertical section of the wing operating mechanism.

Similar numerals of reference refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views.

The stationary cylindrical post 1 supports the windmill by means of acollar 2 which engages a collar 3 secured to the lower edge of the tube4 of the mill. Suitable ball or other antifriction bearings may beplaced between the collars 2 and Sand between the post 1 and the tube 4in such places as may be necessary to support and hold the tube 4without interfering with its rotation on the post 1. The post 1 extendsthrough the tube 4 and has a fixed bevel gear 5 mounted on its upperend.

The tube 4 has four lower arms 6 secured thereto above the collar 3 andat right-angles to each other, and four similar upper arms 7 securedvertically above the arms 6 and near the upper end of the tube. Thewings 8 are formed of any suitable material and are preferablyrectangular in shape and are pivoted between the arms 6 and 7. The axisof said pivoted connection is vertical and is outside of the center ofthe Wing. Each wing is provided with a wing gear 9 fixedly secured tothe pivot thereof and preferably mounted above the arm 7 of the mill. Oneach arm 7 is mounted a transmitting shaft 10, each of which hassuitable gears 11 and 12 at its two ends adapted to engage respectivelythe fixed gear 5 and the Wing gear 9. The bearing 13 for the shaft 10,near the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 1, 1911.

Serial No. 519,015.

gear 11, is preferably constructed as shown in Fig. 4 so as to allow acertain amount of motion of the shaft 10, the gears 11 and 5 beingpurposely mounted slightly loosely relatively to each other. The bearing14 for the shaft 10, near the gear 12, is mounted in an eccentric sleeve15 secured to the arm 7 and is free to turn therein through a slightangle and has an operating arm 16 extending downward therefrom. Theeccentricity of the bearing and sleeve is sufficient to disengage thegears 12 and 9. The two actuating lugs 17 and 18 are separatelyadjustably mounted on the shank of the pivot of the wing, below the winggear 9 and are each adapted to engage the operating arm 16 of theeccentric bearing 14 to actuate it. The posit-ion of the lug 17 is suchthat it forces the arm 16 into the position shown in Fig. 3, in whichthe shaft 10 is lowered and the gears 12 and 9 are in engagement, whenthe wing 8 flies open under the action of the wind (as in the upper wingof Fig. 2). The position ofthe lug 18 is such that it forces the arm 16into the dotted position shown in Fig. 3, in which the shaft 10 israised and the gears 12 and 9 are disengaged, when the wing 8 has beenclosed against suitable stops 19 mounted on tube 4 by the action of saidgears 12 and 9 as well as by the pressure of the .wind.

The operation of my improved windmill is as follows: If the wind isblowing steadily from one direction, then the wings 8 always close andopen at about the same position. Taking one such wing and following itaround its course it is noted that as it passes the windward positionits larger side is adjacent the tube 4 and is engaging the stops 19thereon and that in this position the gears 12 and 9 are separated andthe wing gets the direct action of the wind on it. But, when it passesthe lee position, the wind turns it on its pivots so that the largerside flies outward; this causes the lug 17 to strike the arm 16 to lowerthe gear 12 into engagement with the gear 9 and this is preferablyaccomplished when the wing has turned through about 120 degrees thoughthe exact position may be changed by adjusting the position of the lug17 on the pivot. In this position the wind acts slantingly on the wingand tends to aid the rotation of the mill. As the arms 6 and 7 rotateabout the post 1 the gears 5, 11, 12 and 9 gradually draw the largerside of the wing 8 back to the closed position against the stops 19 onthe tube 4 and in practically all intermediate positions thereof theWind aids the rotation of the mill. As the wind shifts, the point ofrotation at which the Wings 8 will open will shift With it and thereforethe mill will work whatever direction the wind may come from.

Having described my invention what I claim is:

1. In a Windmill, the combination of a fixed post; a set of armsrotatably mounted thereon; wings pivoted to said arms; a fixed gearmounted on said post; gears secured to said wings; means connecting thefixed gear to the Wing gears whereby said wing gears are operated by therotation of the mill; means for releasing said connecting means; andmeans mounted on said wings and controlling said releasing means.

2. In a wind mill, the combination of a fixed post; a set of armsrotatably mounted thereon; wings pivoted to said arms; a fixed gearmounted on said post; gears secured to said Wings; means connecting thefixed gear to the wing gears whereby said wing gears are operated by therotation of the mill; an eccentric bearin for said connecting meanswhereby said means may be brought into or out of action; and lugsmounted on said wings and adapted to engage and turn said eccentricbearing whereby the action of said connecting means is controlled.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

EARL VVOODRUM.

Witnesses M. F. MONEIL,

CALEB BENNETT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

